Railway-indicator.



A. MONARD.

RAILWAY INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 00124. 1918.

1,295,560. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

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fiI tAILWAY-INfiICA'roIt.1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED MONARD, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

- This invention relates to a device for controlling railway branch lines whereby a single signal may be substituted for all the signals generally used in such cases, this single signal afi'ording control of all the routes starting from the branch.

This object is attained by grouping in a single box shutter indicators equal in number to that of the routes to be indicated,

- these shutters being placed side by side and normally held in the box by hooks. For indicating that the line is clear on a given route, the hook which holds the corresponding shutter is moved to release the latter by an electroma et,- the circuit of which is closed when t e signal is pulled OK for the route designated by the number or sign on the shutter.

An example of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 being a section through a plane parallel to the shutters and Fig. 2 being a cross section on line YY of Fig. 1.

The direction indicator is contained in a protecting box 109 having a cover 110. Shutters 111 carrying the inscriptions or numbers indicating the routes and turning on a shaft 112 are normally retained within the box each by a hook 113, the tail of which forms the pivoted armature of a corresponding electromagnet 114. A support 115 keyed on shaft 112 also keeps the shutters in their positions of rest and serves to raise them when the signal is returned to the block osition. The shaft together with this support is controlled by the lever 116 operated by the rod 118.

A current being circulated in one of the electromagnets 114 the tail of the corresponding hook 113 is attracted and this liberates the shutter 111 while the rod which controls the signal to be pulled off operates the lever 116, thus turning the support 115. The shutter now turns on shaft 112 following the support 115 and appears in vertical position outside the box. At this moment the current is interrupted in the electromagnet 114 and the hook 113 returns to its Specification of Letters Patent: I Patented Feb, 25,' 1919,

former position, its armature being brought back by. spring 117. For raising the shutter the lever 116 is turned in the inverse direction and by the support 115 brings back the shutter, or the shutters if several have been released; when in the raised position the shutter is again retained by 'its suspending hook.

In order to facilitate the operation the lever 116. preferably carries a counterweight adapted to raise the shutter within the box; thus, should the control be inoperative, the closing of the indicator is insured. An electric lamp 119 fixed within a reflector 120 placed in front of the box 109 illuminates the shutter and renders its inscription visible at night. A switch is provided for cut ting out the lamp when the illumination is not required.

Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical efiect, I claim V 1. An indicator for railway tracks comprising shutters corresponding respectively with different routes and held raised within a box by pivoted hooks having tails constituting pivoted armatures of electromagnets, the indication of route occurring when the railway signal is operated by closing the electromagnetic circuit corresponding with the shutter to be exhibited whereupon the hook is attracted and the shutter appears in its visible position, the shutter being again. raised when the signal is returned to block position by a support common to all the shutters and operated by a rod connected with the signal, the said support being preferably provided with a counterweight.

2. An indicating mechanism comprising a plurality of shutters which are vertically movable, an electromagnet for each shutter, a retaining means for each shutter controlled by the corresponding electromagnet, and a restoring mechanism operating to re turn the shutters from indicating position into engagement with said retaining means.

3. An indicating mechanism comprising a plurality of shutters which are vertically movable, and a shaft common to said shutters and on which they are mounted, an electromagnet for each shutter, retaining means controlled by the electromagnet and acting to hold the shutter away from its indicating position and a restoring device common to the several shutters and acting ing device controlled thereby and co6pto return them from indlcatlng position lnto erating with one edge of the shutter to hold engagement with said retaining means. I the latter upwardly and away from indi- 10 4. A signal indicator comprising a shutter catingposition.

which is movable vertically about an axis In witness whereof I have hereunto extending at a right angle to the plane which signed my name.

it occupies. an electroniagnet, and a. retain ALFRED MONARDQ Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patentn.

Waiahiflztbilt i 

